As every antique sewing collector knows a chatelaine is usually an ornamental appendage, which hooks onto the waistband and has one or more chains handing from it. These chains can hold anything from sewing tools to candlesnuffers, or jewel studded watches to lucky steel horseshoes. Not as many collectors know that the Oxford Dictionary lists the word chatelaine also as “A female castellan, the mistress of a castle or country house”. Also the mistress of the household. In mediaeval times the chain would have held a bunch of iron keys, and would have been worn by the lady or man of the house as a symbol of authority and possibly this is how chatelaine came to have its second meaning. It was not until the 18th century that the glorious gold and silver chatelaines and etui’s came into vogue. A classic chatelaine consisted of a waist plaque and hook from which hung a central watch with two short side chains for a key and a seal. Men wore these and it was not until the 1800’s that women started to wear these beautiful enameled, and jewel set pieces. They hung from long gold chains set on the seam, under the busy of their Empire dresses. I have only had half a dozen of these earlier chatelaines. They were always rare and expensive, and with our low New Zealand dollar they have become ever more so. I was fortunate enough to buy a glorious Russian chatelaine three years ago almost identical to the one on page 118 of Nerylla Taunton’s and Genevieve Cummins excellent book on Chatelaines, and I still kick myself for turning down a beautiful enamel Art Nouveau example last year, because I decided that it was too expensive. It is true the saying “it’s not what you buy that you regret, it’s what you don’t”. Etui’s were in vogue in the 1730-40’and were an ornate box that hung from the central chatelaine chain. This fitted etui or equipage as it was also called, often contained a selection of the following: scissors, thimble, and bodkin, ivory leaves for notes, pencil, knife, and ear scoop tweezers. The ear scoop was used to obtain wax from the ear to wax the sewing thread with - not for the fainthearted. This an interesting example of how our standards of etiquette have changed in the last 150 years, but it all contributes to the allure of collecting. This year I had a beautiful Georgian silver etui that would have been carried in a chatelaine purse. It contained several of the items listed above, but also a small perfume bottle that would have held eau-de-cologne to keep the hands cool. This was cool so that perspiration did not stain the fine fabric that the embroider was working on as she stitched with her visitors. Needlework was often undertaken in a social situation as not only did it give the ladies something to talk about other than gossip it gave them the chance to show off their latest “toy”. Towards the 19th century the function of the chatelaine gradually changed and before the fashion died out in the 1930’s it held many diverse items. Special chatelaines were made for nurses holding items such as thermometer cases, and pinwheels decorated with a silver cross. There were also chatelaines made solely for sport, painting and for holding ornate purses and bags, fans spectacles, religious items, perfume bottles as well as the chatelaines created for sewing or wearing to a dance. Obviously for readers of this magazine the chatelaines made specifically for sewing will be of special interest and fortunately these are the most common. However, I am always being asked to find sterling silver examples in original condition. These are extremely expensive and rare. I did see one example on my last trip for 850 pounds but by the time you convert that price to New Zealand dollars and add GST and profit it becomes a difficult item to sell. The majority of chatelaines that I handle are either gilded or silver-plated although I have had a couple of hand stitches examples from the 1920’s. The topic of chatelaines and etui’s is enormous and this article merely skims the surface. For any collector wishing to learn more the superb book “Chatelaines Utility to Glorious Extravagance” cannot be bypassed. This book and the later Antique Needlework Tools can be obtained from the library, or if you wish to purchase it the number is ISBN I 85149206Z. We stock a range of chatelaines, antique tools, bobbins and lace and are always happy to help with enquiries. Gill Ward Victorian Gilt
